Brave Berkswell Stretch Street.

The match, played on a particularly cold and wintry Saturday afternoon (a couple of weeks back in early December), was particularly poignant for the home team, Berkswell and Balsall RFC and its supporters following the tragic death the previous weekend of club stalwart, Mark Brereton. An impeccably-observed minute’s silence preceded the kick-off, and all at Broadstreet send their thoughts and best wishes to Mark’s family and friends at this difficult time.

It became clear from the kick-off that the home side were in determined mood and that Danny 'Tinkerman' Rowan’sboys were in for one of their stiffest tests of the season thus far. Indeed, the home back row were quick to the breakdowns and some loose rucking by the visitors gave the home side eighty per cent of the early possession and territory, which in due course led to a quick unconverted try for Berkswell. Score: Berkswell & Balsall 5 - Broadstreet 0.

Spurred on by words of encouragement … well expletives mainly … by a number of the team’s ‘leaders’, Street soon woke up and found their stride, with some storming runs by a number of players, with Jordan Simpson and Aaron Crofts in particular to the fore. A deft kick in to the home side’s 22 and a subsequent overthrow by the home number two at the line-out allowed Pete ‘Evergreen’ Branston to gather the ball and feed Jordan Simpson who danced through the B’s defence to score under the posts, and with the conversion added, Street went ahead for the first time. Score: Berkswell & Balsall 5 - Broadstreet 7.

The rest of the half was a highly competitive and at times ill-tempered affair, with the Bs continuing to perform well at the breakdowns and stretching the off-side law to the limit and beyond, but with Street putting in some big defensive hits to contain the home side effectively.

Half-Time: Berkswell & Balsall 5 - Broadstreet 7.

Broadstreet turned around in determined mood, moving the ball through a number of phases more akin to their usual style of play, but it was a fabulous interception by Yorkshire Gav Barsby that led to the second Street try about ten minutes into the half, the conversion being missed. Score: Berkswell & Balsall 5 - Broadstreet 12.

Under normal circumstances, Broadstreet may well have expected to stretch their lead, but with the home side bringing on fresh legs at a greater rate of knots than even John MfC Warne’s ability to provide pre-match clichés in the team talk, the game remained highly competitive until a fabulous solo effort by Ashley ‘Ratty’ Lightowler led to another Street unconverted try. Score Berkswell & Balsall 5, Broadstreet 17

With about fifteen minutes left on the clock and both sides fielding almost completely different players from the starting line-ups, there was still time for a couple of classic comedy moments as the game descended in to a dire dog fight …

Firstly, Broadstreet Club President, Don ‘Twinkle Toes’ Branston, having decided to watch the third team for the first time this season, inexplicably fell over on the touch line … Rumour has it that he was regaling other frozen match observers with tales of his time in Malaya and got carried away as he recalled the time that a sniper took a shot at him?

Secondly, and not to be outdone, just seconds later, Jordan Simpson collapsed in similar fashion whilst still on the field of play, and the Street lads were beginning to wonder whether the home side, now staring defeat in the face, had indeed hired a sniper who was sitting in the trees? In the end it turned out to be nothing more than cramp and Jordan has vowed to have extra rations of salt for the balance of the season.

And that was it … the game petered out, the final whistle went and the large crowd and multitude of players went to the relative warmth of the club house.